A Boy Erased: Garrard Conley on Surviving Conversion Therapy and Growing Up Gay in the Bible Belt

American Montessori Society (AMS)

02 June 2025

What if the people you trust most try to change who you are—and call it love? In this episode, Garrard Conley, author of the bestselling memoir Boy Erased, adapted into a film starring Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe, shares his powerful journey from being outed and forced into conversion therapy to becoming a writer, educator, and advocate for truth and healing. Hosts Biff Maier and Nicole Coman talk with Garrard about: Growing up gay in a fundamentalist Baptist community in rural ArkansasConley’s experience in conversion therapy and how it attempted to erase his identityA life-altering moment with his mother during a car ride that changed everythingThe role of literature in survival and resistanceReconciling with his family and reclaiming his story on his own termsConley’s latest novel, All the World Beside, which reimagines queer life in Puritan New EnglandWith honesty, insight, and flashes of dark humor, Garrard speaks to the lasting impact of shame—and the liberating force of empathy, education, and asking the right question at the right time. This conversation is a reminder that stories can be lifelines—and that educators have the power to make sure every child knows they’re worthy of one. Garrard Conley is the author of: All the World Beside: A Novel Boy Erased: A Memoir of Identity, Faith, and Family (Now a Major Motion Picture) Contact Us: humanpotential@amshq.org Educating the Human Potential is a podcast about optimizing education for a better society, through a Montessori lens. Hosts Nicole Coman, a licensed educational psychologist specializing in school psychology and child development -- and a "Montessori mom" -- and Biff Maier, an American Montessori Society Living Legacy with decades of experience as a Montessori educator and school leader, engage with experts, educators, parents, and students. Each episode explores strategies to unlock human potential, offering thought-provoking conversations on learning, child development, and the evolving landscape of education. This podcast is presented by AMS, the American Montessori Society. For more information about Montessori education, visit https://amshq.org/about-montessori/ And consider this AMS course for families interested in incorporating the Montessori philosophy into their day-to-day lives and parenting approach: https://learn.amshq.org/parent-course-early-childhood Contact us: humanpotential@amshq.org